1. Alka-Seltzer’s “Spicy Meatball”
Few commercials from the ’70s captured awkward humor like the Alka-Seltzer “Spicy Meatball” ad. It showed a poor actor struggling through multiple takes of a spaghetti dinner scene while constantly reaching for relief from indigestion. The repeated bloopers, combined with his pained expressions, made the ad strangely funny and relatable to anyone who’s ever overindulged.
What made it so weird was the way it blurred the line between a commercial and a behind-the-scenes gag reel. You weren’t just sold on the product, you were entertained by the chaos of filming itself. It’s one of those ads that people still reference today because it felt more like a comedy sketch than a sales pitch.
2. Dr. Pepper’s “Be a Pepper”
Dr. Pepper’s campaign encouraged everyone to “Be a Pepper,” but the commercials often felt like you’d stumbled into a strange musical parade. People in bright red outfits would suddenly burst into synchronized song and dance, insisting that drinking Dr. Pepper made you part of an exclusive club. It was catchy, but also a little bizarre.
Looking back, it almost feels like a fever dream. The costumes, choreography, and relentlessly upbeat tone turned what could have been a simple soda commercial into something closer to a Broadway number. It was hard to forget, though, which was the point.
3. Life Cereal’s “Mikey Likes It”
The Life Cereal ad featuring Mikey is iconic, but if you really think about it, it’s a little odd. Two kids sit at the table, refusing to eat a bowl of cereal, and then shove it toward their younger brother to test. When Mikey eats it, they shout, “He likes it!” as if discovering a miracle.
The strangeness comes from the fact that it made absolutely no sense why Mikey’s opinion mattered so much. He was just a kid who supposedly didn’t like anything. The ad’s weird logic stuck, though, and “Mikey likes it” became a cultural catchphrase for years.
4. Hamm’s Beer “Land of Sky Blue Waters”
This one felt more like a surreal nature film than a beer ad. The Hamm’s Beer commercials showcased lush forests, rushing rivers, and animated bears while a jingle sang about the “Land of Sky Blue Waters.” The connection between all that wilderness and sipping a can of Hamm’s was never exactly clear.
But that dreamlike imagery made the ad unforgettable. The bear mascot added to the odd charm, lumbering around like he was on some beer-inspired adventure. It was peaceful, whimsical, and a little too weird to be just about beer.
5. Tootsie Pop’s “How Many Licks?”
The Tootsie Pop commercial featuring the wise old owl is one of the most recognizable from the ’70s. A boy asks how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, and the owl takes only three licks before biting right into it. The conclusion? “The world may never know.”
The whole thing was oddly unsettling. The owl’s serious tone, the abrupt ending, and the idea that nobody could possibly figure it out left the commercial feeling unfinished. Yet its strangeness worked, because decades later, people still repeat that exact line.
6. McDonald’s “Mayor McCheese”
McDonaldland was a strange place in the ’70s, populated by giant food-headed characters like Mayor McCheese and the Hamburglar. The commercials leaned heavily into this fantasy world, where hamburgers governed towns and french fries grew on plants. It was bright, colorful, and absolutely bizarre.
Kids loved it, but adults couldn’t help but wonder what they were watching. The surreal costumes and offbeat humor gave the ads a dreamlike quality. McDonaldland was supposed to be fun, but it often felt like stepping into a Saturday morning cartoon that never quite made sense.
7. Kool-Aid Man Smashes Walls
The Kool-Aid Man didn’t just walk into commercials, he literally smashed through walls shouting, “Oh yeah!” Kids in the ’70s never questioned why a giant pitcher of juice would crash into their living room uninvited. The sheer absurdity of it made the ad legendary.
The weird part is how normal it all seemed to the kids in the commercial. Instead of freaking out, they cheered him on like breaking walls was the most natural thing in the world. It was part superhero, part chaos, and all strangely effective marketing.
8. McDonald’s “Mac Tonight”
Before the ’80s made him famous, Mac Tonight debuted in late ’70s ads with a crooning moon-headed character singing jazzy tunes about Big Macs. His crescent-shaped face and oversized sunglasses gave him an eerie look that you couldn’t forget. He wasn’t exactly kid-friendly, but McDonald’s rolled with it.
The surreal image of a moon-faced man playing piano while promoting fast food is as weird as it sounds. Yet somehow, it worked, making the character one of McDonald’s strangest but most memorable creations.
9. Burger King’s “Have It Your Way”
In the ’70s, Burger King tried to stand out with its “Have It Your Way” campaign. The commercials often featured exaggerated, almost manic enthusiasm about customizing your burger. People sang joyfully about no pickles or extra onions, as if it were a life-changing revelation.
The over-the-top happiness made the ads feel surreal. It’s just a hamburger, but the characters behaved like they had unlocked the secret to happiness. The weird intensity gave the campaign staying power, though, and the jingle got stuck in everyone’s head.
10. Winston Cigarettes with the Flintstones
Before advertising laws tightened, The Flintstones actually appeared in commercials for Winston cigarettes. Seeing Fred and Barney light up after a long day at the quarry was jarring, especially since kids were the main audience of the cartoon. The mix of family-friendly characters and adult products felt wrong even back then.
The weirdness wasn’t just the smoking, but how casual it was. They’d crack jokes, puff away, and treat it like a normal part of life. Today, the ads feel almost unbelievable, like some strange parody, but they really did air on TV.
11. Calgon’s “Ancient Chinese Secret”
One of the most infamous commercials of the ’70s came from Calgon detergent. In it, a woman asks a laundry owner how he gets clothes so clean, and he replies with the now-cringe-worthy line, “Ancient Chinese secret.” It was meant to be funny, but it leaned heavily into stereotypes.
Even at the time, the commercial felt odd and uncomfortable. It’s one of those ads that shows how much has changed in what’s considered acceptable in marketing. The strangeness lies in how normalized it seemed back then, even though it wouldn’t fly today.
12. Razzles Candy “It’s Both”
Razzles was marketed with the tagline “First it’s candy, then it’s gum,” and the commercials leaned into that confusion. Kids in the ads would act completely amazed, like the concept of a candy transforming into gum was mind-blowing. The delivery made it feel almost magical.
But the ads always had a slightly weird vibe, as if they were overhyping something pretty simple. The enthusiastic reactions felt forced, yet the candy-gum hybrid stuck in people’s memories. The weird pitch worked, because Razzles is still remembered mostly for how strange the commercials were.
